{"id":14560,"date":"2025-07-23T10:00:21","date_gmt":"2025-07-23T08:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/?p=14560"},"modified":"2025-07-23T12:59:26","modified_gmt":"2025-07-23T10:59:26","slug":"what-are-university-credits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/en\/what-are-university-credits\/","title":{"rendered":"What are university credits and how do they work?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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If you’re preparing for university, you’ve probably heard about university credits. But if you still don’t know what they are and how university credits work, don’t worry! In our blog you will find out everything you need to know about credits so that you can familiarise yourself with them before you start your university studies.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>

What are university credits and how do they work?<\/b><\/h2><\/div>

In the <\/span>European Credit Transfer System<\/b><\/a> (ECTS), university credits are a<\/span> measure of value that quantifies the amount of work involved in a subject or academic year. <\/b>They are part of the education system in higher education programmes and are a very important part of obtaining a university degree, whether it is a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree.<\/span><\/p>\n

To understand <\/span>how credits work at university,<\/b> it is important to know that they function as a way of organising the learning process.<\/span><\/p>\n

In itself, <\/span>each subject is made up of a specific number of credits <\/b>that represent the total workload that the student must complete in order to successfully pass the subject. For example, if at your university or degree a subject is<\/span> equivalent to 25 or 30 hours of work,<\/b> this includes the time of classes, work and study time that must be dedicated to this subject.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As a general rule,<\/span> each university degree has a total number of credits needed to pass, usually around 240 credits (60 credits per academic year). <\/b>But how do the credits at university work if we want to change university degree?<\/span><\/p>\n

If you are considering <\/span>changing university degree<\/span><\/a> or university, don’t worry! All accumulated credits can be<\/span> transferred to another university or institution, even if it is an international one, as long as it recognises it in its syllabus.<\/b> This way you will avoid wasting time and effort when changing your degree.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>

What are university credits for?<\/strong><\/h2><\/div>

University credits<\/b> are part of the structure of an academic programme, as <\/span>each bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree is made up of a certain number of credits.<\/b> In this way, the content is well organised and evenly distributed over semesters or academic years.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

University credits allow students to <\/span>keep a clear control and monitoring of the progress of their studies,<\/b> ensuring that they are fulfilling all the requirements to obtain the degree. Moreover, as mentioned above, they also serve to<\/span> facilitate academic mobility,<\/b> as all credits are internationally recognised within the ECTS.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>

Types of university credits<\/strong><\/h2><\/div>

There are <\/span>different types of university credits<\/b> that determine the type of subject and its importance within a study plan. These are <\/span>divided into different categories,<\/b> depending on the degree of compulsory and specialisation of each subject or degree.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

Credits for compulsory subjects<\/strong><\/h3><\/div>

The university credits of compulsory<\/span> subjects correspond to the basic and necessary subjects to pass and complete the studies<\/b> in order to obtain a higher degree. This type of subjects are essential to obtain the degree, as they cover the basic knowledge of the degree that students must master within the area of study. The credits of these subjects generally<\/span> make up the majority of the credits required for the degree.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Elective credits<\/strong><\/h3><\/div>

The university credits of the <\/span>optional subjects allow for greater personalisation within the study plan.<\/b> Students can choose credits based on the subjects they choose from a wide range of subjects. Elective subjects allow students to deepen their<\/span> knowledge in areas of major interest or to complement their specialisation.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

Free configuration credits<\/strong><\/h3><\/div>

University elective credits<\/b> offer students greater flexibility to choose subjects from other disciplines or academic areas different from their main degree, master’s or doctoral programme. In this way, students can<\/span> complete their academic training or explore new fields of knowledge.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Comparative table of types of university credits<\/b><\/h2><\/div>

Discover the <\/span>different university credits<\/b> in detail below:<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>

\n\n\n\n\n\n
Types of credits<\/b><\/td>\nDescription<\/b><\/td>\nObjective<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Credits of compulsory subjects<\/b><\/td>\nThe credits of these subjects are essential and necessary to pass the syllabus and obtain the degree.<\/span><\/td>\nThese subjects aim to cover the basic knowledge that all students must master in their area.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Elective credits<\/b><\/td>\nThe credits of these subjects allow you to choose a variety of subjects within the curriculum and gain knowledge within a specific area of the degree.<\/span><\/td>\nThese subjects offer greater flexibility and personalisation in the curriculum, allowing students to delve deeper into their areas of interest or specialisation.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Free configuration credits<\/b><\/td>\nThese credits offer the possibility of choosing subjects outside the main area, either from other disciplines or faculties.<\/span><\/td>\nThey allow students to complete a more interdisciplinary training or to broaden their knowledge in new areas of knowledge.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>

How do university credit validations work?<\/b><\/h2><\/div>

Each subject has a specific number of university credits<\/b> assigned to it that students must complete in order to obtain the official degree. However, students may <\/span>apply for the validation of credits from previous studies, <\/b>as long as certain equivalence and course level criteria are met.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Validation allows students to avoid wasting time repeating subjects with the same or similar knowledge. <\/b>However, in order for a student to be able to apply for validation of credits, the credits must meet the equivalence criteria between the previous subjects and those that the student must take in their new study plan. There are <\/span>different factors that must be taken<\/b> into account when approving a validation such as:<\/span><\/p>\n